The San Francisco 49ers were one muffed punt away from a Super Bowl appearance. In 2012, expectations are they'll get back to the club's sixth appearance in the big game.

However, the road isn't completely paved for a San Francisco Super Bowl. Can the team get by with Alex Smith at quarterback? Is a defense that returns all 11 starters poised for a let down? The front office added big-play potential with Brandon Jacobs, LaMichael James, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and A.J. Jenkins--now the question is if Smith can get the ball to these explosive targets.

Just how good are these 49ers? Our Bleacher Report panel of Josh Zerkle, Aaron Nagler, Dan Levy and myself break down a potential Super Bowl contender in the San Francisco 49ers.